Five alternatives to Virgin Media are compared here, including BT, Sky Broadband, CityFibre altnets, YouFibre and Community Fibre. Monthly pricing for a comparable full-fibre package ranges from around £19 to £30, and Ofcom's One Touch Switch rules mean switching provider now only requires contacting the new provider directly.
TL;DR · LAST REVIEWED 21 July 2026
- Under Ofcom's One Touch Switch rules, in force since September 2024, only the new provider needs to be contacted to switch broadband, regardless of which networks are involved.
- CityFibre operates a full-fibre wholesale network used by multiple retail providers rather than selling broadband directly to households itself.
- YouFibre and Community Fibre are both full-fibre altnet providers competing on price and no mid-contract price rises in some of their deals.
- Community Fibre has been reported among the cheapest providers for a 100Mbps package, at around £19 a month in published pricing.
- Openreach-based providers, including BT and Sky Broadband, remain the most widely available option since Openreach's network reaches the largest share of UK premises.
- Altnet availability varies significantly by postcode, so checking coverage at a specific address is a necessary first step before comparing prices between these providers.
Virgin Media alternatives compared by monthly price and network type
| BT | From ~£24/month | Runs on Openreach, widest general availability |
| Sky Broadband | From ~£24 to £30/month | Runs on Openreach, often bundled with Sky TV |
| CityFibre (via retail ISPs) | Varies by retail provider | Wholesale full-fibre network, growing coverage |
| YouFibre | From ~£24 to £29/month | Full-fibre altnet, some deals with no mid-contract rises |
| Community Fibre | From ~£19/month | Full-fibre altnet, among the cheapest for 100Mbps |
Source: Provider pricing pages and Ofcom guidance, accessed July 2026
KEY FACTS
- Ofcom's One Touch Switch has applied since 23 October 2024, requiring only the new provider to be contacted when switching
- CityFibre operates a wholesale full-fibre network reaching a growing share of UK premises, used by multiple retail ISPs
- Community Fibre: reported among the cheapest 100Mbps packages at around £19 a month
- Altnets (CityFibre, YouFibre, Community Fibre, Hyperoptic and others) had reached around 15.4 million UK premises by early 2026, according to Ofcom
- BT and Sky Broadband both operate primarily over the Openreach network, which remains the most widely available infrastructure in the UK
How does switching broadband provider work under One Touch Switch
Under Ofcom's One Touch Switch rules, in force since 23 October 2024, only the new broadband provider needs to be contacted to arrange a switch, regardless of which network either the old or new provider uses, removing the need to separately cancel the existing contract.
Before this rule took effect, switching broadband between providers on different networks, for example from Virgin Media's cable network to an Openreach-based provider, required contacting both the old and new provider separately and coordinating the switch date between them. Ofcom's One Touch Switch process removes this friction: a customer now only needs to contact the new provider, who takes on responsibility for coordinating the technical switch and notifying the previous provider through a shared industry system. The new provider sends the switching request through a central hub, and the customer receives a switching information notification confirming the process and any relevant charges before the switch completes. This applies whether the switch is between two providers on the same network or across entirely different networks, such as moving from Virgin Media to an altnet like Community Fibre or YouFibre. Certain scenarios, including moving to a new address or switching mobile broadband, fall outside One Touch Switch and still require contacting the losing provider directly. The switching information notification sent during this process sets out any final charges owed to the previous provider and the confirmed activation date for the new service, giving the customer a clear paper trail of the switch even though only one provider needed to be contacted directly throughout.
What is CityFibre and how does it differ from Virgin Media
CityFibre operates a wholesale full-fibre network used by multiple retail broadband providers rather than selling broadband directly to households itself, differing structurally from Virgin Media, which builds, owns and sells over its own cable network end to end.
Virgin Media operates a vertically integrated model: it builds and owns its cable network infrastructure and sells broadband and TV services directly to consumers over that network. CityFibre instead builds full-fibre infrastructure and sells wholesale access to that network to multiple retail internet service providers, who then compete with each other for customers over the same underlying CityFibre infrastructure. In practice, this means a household in a CityFibre-covered area may have a choice of several retail broadband brands, each offering different pricing and contract terms, all delivered over the same physical full-fibre network. CityFibre's network has expanded significantly in recent years, reaching a growing share of UK premises, though coverage remains geographically uneven and should be checked directly at a specific address rather than assumed based on general availability figures. CityFibre has also formed wholesale partnerships with an increasing number of retail brands over recent years, meaning the specific list of providers available over its network in a given area can change, so checking current retail options for a postcode directly with CityFibre or a comparison tool remains worthwhile.
How do YouFibre and Community Fibre compare on price
YouFibre and Community Fibre are both full-fibre altnet providers that have competed significantly on price against Virgin Media and Openreach-based providers, with Community Fibre reported among the cheapest providers for a 100Mbps package at around £19 a month.
Altnet providers, meaning newer companies building their own full-fibre networks independent of both Virgin Media's cable network and Openreach's infrastructure, have generally competed most aggressively on price where their networks reach. Community Fibre has appeared among the cheapest providers in published pricing comparisons for a standard 100Mbps package, at around £19 a month, undercutting many Openreach-based deals at a comparable speed. YouFibre has positioned itself similarly, with some of its deals advertised without mid-contract price rises, a point of difference from providers that build an annual increase, often linked to inflation, into their standard terms. Both providers, in common with all altnets, are only available where their specific network has been built, which is typically a more limited and specific set of streets or postcodes than the much broader reach of Openreach's national infrastructure, so checking availability at a specific address remains the necessary first step. Both YouFibre and Community Fibre also tend to offer faster average download speeds at a comparable price point to Virgin Media's own mid-tier packages, reflecting the newer underlying full-fibre technology used by altnets compared with Virgin Media's existing cable infrastructure in many areas of the country.
How does availability differ between these providers
Openreach-based providers, including BT and Sky Broadband, remain the most widely available option since Openreach's network reaches the largest share of UK premises, while CityFibre, YouFibre and Community Fibre are each limited to the specific areas their own networks cover.
Availability is the single biggest practical constraint when comparing Virgin Media alternatives, since altnet providers have each built out their own networks in specific towns, cities and postcodes rather than achieving national coverage. Openreach's network, used by BT, Sky Broadband and many other retail providers, remains the most broadly available infrastructure across the UK, making it the default fallback in areas where Virgin Media's cable network and the various altnets have not built. According to Ofcom data, altnet providers collectively had reached a substantial and growing share of UK premises by early 2026, though the market remains fragmented across a large number of individual companies, several of which have experienced financial difficulties or consolidated with rivals. Anyone comparing options should run a postcode-level availability check with each shortlisted provider rather than assuming general market coverage figures apply to a specific address. Consolidation within the altnet sector, including recent acquisitions affecting networks such as Netomnia and its retail brands, means the competitive landscape continues to shift, so a provider available in an area today is not guaranteed to remain independently owned or priced the same way in future years.
What should households check before switching away from Virgin Media
Households should compare mid-contract price rise policies, confirm actual speed and coverage at their specific address, and use the One Touch Switch process through the new provider rather than attempting to coordinate the switch with Virgin Media directly.
Beyond headline monthly price, the terms attached to a contract matter considerably over its full length. Some providers, including certain YouFibre and other altnet deals, have marketed themselves specifically on the basis of no in-contract price increases, a meaningful differentiator against providers whose standard terms include an annual rise linked to inflation plus an additional percentage. Actual delivered broadband speed can also differ from advertised headline speeds depending on the specific technology and local network conditions, so checking a provider's own coverage and speed checker tool for the exact address in question is worthwhile before committing. Once a new provider and package have been selected, initiating the switch through that new provider triggers the One Touch Switch process automatically, meaning there is no need to separately contact or give notice to Virgin Media, since the new provider handles that coordination as part of the regulated switching process. Households already inside a fixed-term Virgin Media contract should also check any early termination charges that may apply before switching, since these are separate from the One Touch Switch process itself and depend on how much of the existing contract term remains outstanding at the point of switching.
RELATED GUIDES
DISCLAIMER
This article is editorial information, not financial advice. Kael Tripton Ltd is not authorised or regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority. Figures were correct at the last review date shown above; verify current rates and rules with the primary sources listed below before acting.
Frequently asked questions
Do you need to contact Virgin Media yourself to switch provider
No. Under Ofcom's One Touch Switch rules, you only need to contact the new provider you are switching to, and that provider coordinates the technical switch and notifies Virgin Media on your behalf through a shared industry system.
Can you buy broadband directly from CityFibre
No. CityFibre operates a wholesale full-fibre network and does not sell broadband directly to households; instead, multiple retail internet service providers sell packages over CityFibre's infrastructure, so a household compares those retail brands rather than CityFibre itself.
Are altnet providers available everywhere in the UK
No. CityFibre, YouFibre, Community Fibre and similar altnet providers have each built their own networks in specific areas rather than achieving full national coverage, so availability should be checked at a specific address before comparing pricing.
Do all providers increase prices during a contract
Not all. Some altnet providers, including certain YouFibre deals, have marketed themselves specifically on the basis of no mid-contract price rises, while many other providers include an annual increase, often linked to inflation, within their standard contract terms.
Does One Touch Switch apply if you are moving to a new address
No. One Touch Switch does not apply to a house move, since a new connection is typically required at the new address; in that case, contacting the provider directly about the move, rather than using the standard switching process, is the correct route.
SOURCES
- Ofcom guidance on switching broadband providers – accessed 21 July 2026
- CityFibre official information on One Touch Switch – accessed 21 July 2026
- Virgin Media official pricing – accessed 21 July 2026
